Name: Vegan Tacos Boricuas-Criollos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: Shredded "chicken":; 10oz jackfruit, shredded and deseeded; olive oil; 1 tbsp sofrito; 1 tbsp ground garlic; 1 tsp ground cumin; all-purpose seasoning, to taste; 1 tsp achiote; 1 tbsp water; Mashed potatoes:; 2 potatoes, peeled, boiled, and chopped into chunks.; 2 tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk (+more if needed); 1 tbsp vegan butter; optional: 1 tbsp nutritional yeast; all-purpose seasoning, to taste; Other ingredients:; 3-6 6" flour tortillas

Vegan Tacos Boricuas-Criollos made with savory shredded jackfruit and mashed potatoes. This uncommon combination will blow your mind.

Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

If you’ve ever traveled along la carretera Num. 1 in Caguas, you’ve most likely tried these famous “roadside” tacos. Traditionally prepared with chicken and mashed potatoes, I decided to go out on a limb and add them to my #VeganizedPuertoRican❤️ series.

Tacos are undoubtedly a global sensation, with each culture adding its unique twist to this beloved street food. In Puerto Rico, an unexpected yet utterly delightful variation has been created with mashed potato and shredded chicken or pork tacos. Slight problem… they don’t really have an official name! So I’m going with Tacos Boricuas-Criollos, also known as taquitos moteleros, tacos del Mariachi, and tacos de Ramonita’s.

With no record of their origin, I like to believe that they come from my hometown, Caguas, since there’s a large concentration of restaurants that offer them in la carretera #1. Their unconventional combination brings together the comforting flavors of mashed potatoes with the savory component of shredded chicken/pork, creating a Puerto Rican roadside staple that has captured the hearts and taste buds of locals and visitors alike.

This flavorful twist on the traditional taco, has been part of my childhood (in Caguas) and later my early adult years (in Cayey). Ever since going vegan, I’ve been dying veganize the recipe and I finally nailed it!

The making of: Vegan Tacos Boricuas-Criollos

Rooted in Puerto Rican culinary tradition, these tacos represent a fusion of flavors that pays homage to the island’s diverse food culture. And our street food scene definitely reflects that!

Now, to make these tacos, you’re going to need young jackfruit as a substitute for chicken and some russet potatoes as your main ingredients. The first step is to prepare the shredded “chicken”. You can do this by adding olive oil, shredded and deseeded jackfruit, garlic, sofrito, all-purpose seasoning, cumin, achiote, and a little water, to a pan. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until everything is combined.

Next, prepare the mashed potatoes with boiled potatoes, plant-based milk, all-purpose seasoning, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast. Mash it all together until it’s soft and no big pieces are left.

To assemble, place a 6” flour tortilla in the center of a paper towel, spread a spoonful of mashed potato in the center, and place the cooked jackfruit on top. To close, fold the bottom edge up and both sides to the center. And use the paper towel to keep it from unraveling.

The result will be a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that is a must-try for anyone. Not only is the recipe super easy to make, it also comes together in under 25 minutes. And that’s it! You now have the recipe to prepare this classic dish from la carretera #1 de Puerto Rico at home. Serve with a little bit of tabasco, and enjoy! ¡Buen provecho!

Notes:

To make this recipe gluten-free, simply swap out the flour tortilla for a corn tortilla.
Any type of potato should work with this recipe.
You can find the sofrito recipe here.

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Vegan Tacos Boricuas-Criollos

Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

Shredded "chicken":

10oz jackfruit, shredded and deseeded

olive oil

1 tbsp sofrito

1 tbsp ground garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

all-purpose seasoning, to taste

1 tsp achiote

1 tbsp water

Mashed potatoes:

2 potatoes, peeled, boiled, and chopped into chunks.

2 tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk (+more if needed)

1 tbsp vegan butter

optional: 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

all-purpose seasoning, to taste

Other ingredients:

3-6 6" flour tortillas

Procedure

First, to a pan add olive oil, shredded jackfruit, minced garlic, sofrito, all-purpose seasoning, cumin, achiote, and a splash of water. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until everything is combined.

Next, prepare the mashed potatoes with boiled potatoes, plant-based milk, all-purpose seasoning, butter, and nutritional yeast. Mash until it is the consistency is soft and no large chunks are left.

To assemble the tacos, place a 6" flour tortilla in the center of a paper towel (double). Then spread a spoonful of mashed potato in the center and place the cooked jackfruit on top.

To close, fold the edge of the tortilla from bottom to top and both sides to the center. Use the paper towel to keep it from unraveling.

Serve with a hot sauce like tabasco on the side, and ENJOY!

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